Petts Wood Runners 10k 2015

Hello blog lovers.

Me!

The day started out early!  Early Sunday morning, me, only 6 hours sleep!  How did that work?!  I even had time to cover the dark circles under my eyes with makeup!  The sun was breaking through and it looked like it was going to be a perfect day for our 10k.

The Old Boy dropped me off at the rec, I knew parking would be an issue, what with 900 runners expected and their entourage, plus all the marshals that will be needed that day.  I walked into the rec and there were marques all ready set up, and the start/finish was blown up and secured!  Everything was going so well.  There had been marshals there since about 7 or probably even earlier! 

CoachHels and her team

I found my team leader (CoachHels) and she 'gathered' up her flock of mashals.  We were then given a tour of the rec, as we were the 'rec team' we all had to know what was where and who was taking care of which duty.  The whole thing was expertly organised, even if I am a little biased about my club.

My duty along with Angela was to 'man' the entrance to the park, not to let any unauthorised vehicles into the car park.  I was also the first aider for the rec, but I felt sure that all I would have to do was to escort any injured people to the St. John ambulance station that we had in the car park.

Me and Angela, after our tour of the rec, went to our post straight away.  We had our list of authorised vehicles that had been allocated parking and we took up our positions!  It was about 8;45 ish now, so not too long before the runners will be coming for their numbers.  The other authorised vehicles soon came along as well, One Inn The Wood in particular, a most important part of our 10k, and then the band members from The Dirty Perks, another important part of our 10k.  This is the second year that both of these guys have been with us and they are proving a great success.

Angela and me

Then the runners started to arrive, slowly at first, we gave them directions to the registration tent so that they could pick up their numbers.  Then more and more eager, excited, worried looking runners came.  "Oh I don't know how I am going to do this year" said some, while others said "I am going to try and get a PB this year" said some others.  But the most repeated comment was "At least it's not like it was in 2013, that rain was torrential!"  This is how popular our 10k has become.  People come back year after year.  Voted the best 10k for October by Runners World readers, all of us at PWR are just so proud to be a member!

The band kicked in and it sounded brilliant from where we were, but this year I wasn't  able watch them perform nor did we get to see the start or the finish of the race!  We were there till the very end of play.  There was only a couple of little incidents of 'moaning' about the parking, one was from a tennis player.  I expect with over 900 runners expected and the car park out of use (except for authorised vehicles) then finding a parking space was a little difficult that Sunday!

The founder of the ParkRun Paul Sinton-Hewitt was our local celebratory this year.  Parkrun has been going for 11 years now, hundreds of them have sprung up all over the country and even other parts of the world.  Thousands and thousands of people regularly run free timed 5k courses at the local parks....just for fun!  It's a brilliant concept and it was a privilege that Paul was here with us today.

He was even at the PWR's local Parkrun venue at Norman Park for the 300th event.  A whopping 500+ runners took part to run their fav 5k route.

I kept checking my watch, it was getting closer to the start time, people were coming in, some now running to get their numbers, there were spectators, and families all filing through the entrance to get a good view of the start.  It was so exciting . Adele , our very own PWR member, was there to put the runners through a great warm up routine.  I could feel the butterflies in my tummy....and I wasn't even running!

Then I heard DiscoRich on the mic as he started to introduce the 2015 9th Petts Wood Runners 10k, with a horn blowing loudly and a balloon  going up the race was underway.  Just then a running came down Crossways, he was just 'running' a little late! 

Not only do we organise a fantastic 10k course, we also organise the kids race!  Yup, with free entry for the kids, all who enter 'win' a fantastic chocolate medal!  But there was also a display from a taekwondo troupe to entertain every one that was there, waiting for their friends and family to come running back.

Woody and Woodina, our club mascot gorillas was making sure that the bananas was safe and only the runners would get their hands on them, though I am sure they would have liked to have taken them back to the jungle with them.  And the band played on.

But then it was a little quiet, two members of the band got back in their car and came out of the car park.  Was they leaving, had they had enough?  No, they were going to set up for the Woods session at the 7k mark!  Just when runners were starting to feel jaded, a bit tired maybe, then the band will be there, singing along to give them a much needed boost!

About 15 or so minutes from the end of the race then next authorised vehicle came.  It was from the Raj Doot, the local curry house.  You will find many a PWR members grazing here most weekends, its a favourite of ours.  They were again supplying samosas for all.  And me and Angela was in the perfect place to be able to get on or two of these hot Indian snacks.  This is another brilliant tradition of the Petts Wood 10k, and is always spoken about in many a comments!

The childrens race was a great success, the taekwondo team were a great success and the Beer Tent was well attended!  There were cakes to be bought, bacon rolls to be totally devoured and even face painting this year, a first for our event.  The whole morning was just a fantastic party atmosphere!

The first of the runners came in 0:36:44 minutes !  A ridiculous speedy time!  How they can run that fast I have no idea!  We have at least 3 hill sections in there!  Then slowly after that the runners came in, up to 1:31:41!   I believe we only had a couple of injuries out there, and one was a chap who said " I tripped on the pavement, but it was Ok, as with quick thinking I used my nose to stop myself!"  The mans nose was as red as Rudolfs!  But he insisted on running the last few metres to get to the finish.  Our medals are a much prized gong! An amazing event, one that I am so proud to be part of!  I can't wait for next year.

Photos curtesy of Brian Page, Siggy, and others!